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Pelosi: GOP House leads 'do-nothing' Congress

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lambasted Republicans for leading a “do-nothing Congress” as the first year of their House majority draws to a close.

“It can clearly be labeled the Republican do-nothing Congress. It’s a year of missed opportunities and made-up crises,” Pelosi said in a press conference Friday, which she hoped would be her last for the year.

Pelosi, who lost the Speaker’s gavel nearly a year ago, criticized the House GOP for not focusing on jobs and for ginning up crises that nearly shut down the federal government and caused a national default.

Her comments came as the House prepared to vote on a $1 trillion omnibus spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown Friday night. While Republicans have accused Democrats of causing the latest crisis, Pelosi tossed the blame back on the GOP for insisting on “hundreds” of extraneous policy provisions that Democrats found unacceptable.

The second-ranking House Democrat, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.), piled on, handing out a chart documenting that House Republicans passed fewer bills and worked for less time than Democrats did in 2007 when they took over the House with a president of the opposing party.

“There was a pledge made to America that things were going to be done differently. They were: less substance, more contention, more confrontation, less focus on jobs, less focus on infrastructure, less focus on a positive agenda for the American people,” Hoyer said. “Americans are indeed tired of their House of Representatives failing to represent their greatest hopes and aspirations.”

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Pelosi reiterated that Democrats are committed to staying in Washington until Congress approves an extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, although she said she had no problem if the House went home for the weekend and returned next week to deal with the remaining items.

She declined to comment on Senate negotiations over the payroll tax extension, saying she would have to see legislation before weighing in.